Quote:
Originally Posted by Yorkie
When I was in my teens/20s in the UK my Dad had a Vincent. He used to let me ride it on VMCC runs and it felt very modern and powerful. It was tough to start if you stalled it in traffic so I dreaded town riding. At the time I had an iron head sportster 1000 and it felt head and shoulders above that bike. In later years I moved onto Ducatis and in particular the 900ss (which I believe you also own) and Dad always felt they were similar beasts. Great looking example and I always tip my hat to builders of Specials as they are always a collection of engineering challenges. Thanks for sharing b
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Yes, I have an Ironhead Sportster, and a Ducati 900 SS. I love both bikes for different reasons. I actually see the 900 SS as what the Sportster should have become, had Harley continued to develop it over the 40 years that spanned between the introduction of the Sportster and the introduction of the 900 SS. The Sportster went from the reputation of some fire-breathing super bike to that of a beginners' bike, or a "girls' bike". How the mighty had fallen...
A member of an Ironhead forum in which I participate races them down in Australia in their vintage meetings. He's old enough to have been involved with Sportsters since they were introduced. I remember his impressions that he shared with us when he saw his first one - "now
there's a race motor...".
He tells us that today, in his vintage classes (solo and sidecar), that nothing can touch his Sportsters. Not even the mighty Vincents. He simply mops up on them every time they race. Not even close, he says.
I have considered building a Sporton from my bike. Then I start to believe that someday it might be worth something. I've been thinking that for over 20 years, watching values of similar British, German, and Italian bikes of that era climbing, and Harley big twins (Panheads, Shovelheads) going ballistic. But not the Ironhead. Has to be the most unloved, underrated motorcycle of that genre by a wide margin. I think because they were the most often butchered by some hack who couldn't afford a "real" Harley and was scraping just to keep at least one of its cylinders functional.
Oh well. I like my bikes. Very, very different, suiting different moods.
